Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to electronic switches.
One or more embodiments regard high-voltage electronic switches that can be used, for example, in ultrasound-imaging applications.
Description of the Related Art
High-voltage switches are components that enable setting-up of a connection or isolation between different electrical paths within systems which use signals that may, for instance, be higher than 10 V and enable passage of currents that may, for example, be higher than 1 A.
The fields of application for these components are multiple.
For instance, the capacity to withstand high working voltages, at the same time maintaining the same electrical characteristics of a classic low-voltage switch, renders electronic switches components of election for systems, such as diagnostic imaging systems both in the medical field (e.g., ultrasonography machines), and in the industrial field (e.g., in the vehicle sector or for seeking micro-cracks within solid bodies). These components may, on the other hand, also be used in a wide range of consumer applications, such as to require management of power signals.
As an alternative to electronic switches, it is possible to use mechanical switches. These, however, present a rather high encumbrance (and hence a large occupation of space) and a lower reliability as compared to switches, in particular high-voltage switches, obtained with solid-state components of semiconductor material, for example, silicon.
Manufacture of these devices is facilitated by technologies, such as BCD (Bipolar-CMOS-DMOS) technologies, which enable production of high-voltage (HV) components and at the same time enable management of low-voltage (LV) digital signals for control of the state of the switches.
In particular, in the case where input or output voltages that are negative with respect to ground, production of these devices is facilitated by the use of HV Sol (Silicon-on-Insulator) technologies in order to avoid the presence of potentially harmful parasitic components between the various switches.